Dust Storm Over Iraq and Saudi Arabia – March 2nd, 2012

This image shows dust spreading over Iraq and Saudi Arabia. The dust partially obscures the green, fertile valley by the valley of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. It appears to be blowing northward from the Arabian Peninsula. A dust storm is a meteorological phenomenon common in arid and semi-arid regions.

Dust storms arise when a gust front or other strong wind blows loose sand and dirt from a dry surface. Particles are transported by saltation and suspension, causing soil to move from one place and deposition in another. The Sahara and drylands around the Arabian peninsula are the main terrestrial sources of airborne dust.